Editorial: Finding new ways to keep teen drivers safe

Monday

Dec 29, 2008 at 12:01 AM

The scariest moment in the life of most parents is the one where the teenager heads off for his first solo drive after getting a license. So many things can go wrong for inexperienced drivers, as evidenced by accident rates.

The scariest moment in the life of most parents is the one where the teenager heads off for his first solo drive after getting a license. So many things can go wrong for inexperienced drivers, as evidenced by accident rates.

To be sure, there's no way to keep our children 100 percent safe. That said, every viable alternative deserves a look. One of those is the new MyKey device that Ford Motor Co. recently unveiled for parents and teens in Pekin.

The gadget - think of it as the V-chip for wheels - lets parents impose limits on their teens' driving habits even when they're not riding along in the car (on the off chance that teenagers don't always follow the rules that Mom and Dad lay down, of course). A computer chip, implanted in the key to the vehicle, can be programmed to limit speed and stereo volume and provide a persistent, annoying chime to mute that radio if seat belts aren't fastened.

Yes, teens are sure to resent it, but Ford is banking on parents being more concerned about safety than their kid's pouting. The company touts research showing that as much as kids hate the restrictions, many are willing to give in a little if it means Mom and Dad give them more time behind the wheel.

It's not the first such attempt to use new technology to keep kids safe. Some insurance companies offer in-car cameras so parents can film their kids driving and check in over the Internet, or let them access GPS data to track where the teen is going - and how fast. But this one gives parents an actual semblance of control, while allowing them to tailor their restrictions to their confidence in their teen.

The jury's still out on how useful it'll end up being. Ford is only offering it on one model - the 2010 Focus - for now. Safety advocates don't have any data to measure whether it works in preventing more crashes, which insurance carriers want access to before offering up discounts.

Illinois has taken other steps to try to curb the number of teen driving deaths, including legislation OK'd last year that extends the length of time teens have their learner's permits, along with enforcing other driving restrictions. Yet even though the number of fatalities has dropped, traffic accidents remain the leading cause of death for that age group. There's still no substitute for time and practice behind the wheel.

As a result, teens will forgive their parents' nervousness, no matter how incredible the technology. Still, as parental peace of mind goes, this latest invention helps.

Peoria Journal Star

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